O's add Rutschman, five others, to player pool

The first wave of blue-chippers many expected to eventually trickle into Orioles Summer Camp have arrived. Baltimore on Friday added top prospect Adley Rutschman and five others, including two more from its top 30 prospects, to its player pool, manager Brandon Hyde said.

Joining Rutschman at Summer Camp beginning Friday are right-hander Michael Baumann, the club's No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline, No. 11 lefty Keegan Akin, right-handed strikeout artist Isaac Mattson, center fielder Cedric Mullins and catcher Taylor Davis, Hyde said. The Orioles also added No. 4 prospect Ryan Mountcastle to their pool earlier in the week and are expected to add No. 3 lefty DL Hall in the near future, the manager confirmed.

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Baltimore has now filled 53 of 60 available spot in its player pool. However, the prospects are not candidates to make the Opening Day roster and will be reassigned to the Orioles' secondary camp when it opens later this month. All passed their physicals and cleared COVID-19 intake screening, Hyde said.

“Just get him here and get him playing,” Hyde said of the decision to summon Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 Draft. “We want to see him here and see him take BP and catch some of our starters. The bottom line is just to get him playing again.”

From the Orioles' perspective, the goal is to salvage as much development as possible in a year truncated by the coronavirus pandemic -- especially without a Minor League season. O's brass was hoping Rutschman would advance as far as Double-A Bowie this summer, having reached Class A Delmarva last year and then earning an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Rutschman, Mullins and Davis took batting practice at Camden Yards on Friday and will join the big league workout Saturday, according to Hyde. Akin, Baumann and Mattson all threw Friday at the ballpark, Hyde added.

Akin, 25, is a candidate to debut at some point this season after spending all of 2019 with Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 4.73 ERA with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He was optioned from big league camp right before it was halted, having pitched to a 7.45 ERA in four games (three starts) this spring.

Baumann and Mattson were somewhat surprise omissions from big league Spring Training and now both get invites to Summer Camp. Baumann is the more highly-touted prospect of the two, a 6-foor-4, 225-pound starter who took off at Double-A Bowie last season, going 6-2 with a 2.31 ERA. Mattson, 24, is a right-handed reliever who was part of the trade package for Dylan Bundy, and he struck out 110 batters in 73 1/3 innings across three levels last season.

The Orioles' Opening Day center fielder in 2019, Mullins finished last year at Double-A after struggling mightily at the plate. He is on the 40-man roster and would seem to be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster, given the Orioles' dearth of outfielders. They are currently operating without projected regulars Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith Jr. for reasons the club has not made public.

“Just get him here and get him playing,” Hyde said of the decision to summon Rutschman, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 Draft. “We want to see him here and see him take BP and catch some of our starters. The bottom line is just to get him playing again.”

From the Orioles' perspective, the goal is to salvage as much development as possible in a year truncated by the coronavirus pandemic -- especially without a Minor League season. O's brass was hoping Rutschman would advance as far as Double-A Bowie this summer, having reached Class A Delmarva last year and then earning an invitation to big league Spring Training.

Rutschman, Mullins and Davis took batting practice at Camden Yards on Friday and will join the big league workout Saturday, according to Hyde. Akin, Baumann and Mattson all threw Friday at the ballpark, Hyde added.

Akin, 25, is a candidate to debut at some point this season after spending all of 2019 with Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 4.73 ERA with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He was optioned from big league camp right before it was halted, having pitched to a 7.45 ERA in four games (three starts) this spring.

Baumann and Mattson were somewhat surprise omissions from big league Spring Training and now both get invites to Summer Camp. Baumann is the more highly touted prospect of the two, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound starter who took off at Double-A Bowie last season, going 6-2 with a 2.31 ERA. Mattson, 24, is a right-handed reliever who was part of the trade package for Dylan Bundy, and he struck out 110 batters in 73 1/3 innings across three levels last season.

The Orioles' Opening Day center fielder in 2019, Mullins finished last year at Double-A after struggling mightily at the plate. He is on the 40-man roster and would seem to be a candidate to make the Opening Day roster, given the Orioles' dearth of outfielders. They are currently operating without projected regulars Anthony Santander and Dwight Smith Jr. for reasons the club has not made public.

Keep #F16GHTING
Another day, another prominent figure joined Trey Mancini in his fight against colon cancer. A day after legendary sports broadcaster Dick Vitale publicly pledged for the Orioles’ #F16GHT campaign, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan did the same. Hogan tweeted a photo from his official Twitter account Friday morning of him wearing a #F16GHT shirt and Orioles cap, standing in front of a custom O's jersey that read “Hogan Strong.”

• O's #F16HTing on without Mancini at camp

“I ask Marylanders to join me in supporting Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini in his battle against Stage III colon cancer, and all who are facing a similar battle,” Hogan tweeted.

Mancini, 27, was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer after having a malignant tumor surgically removed in March. He and the Orioles have partnered with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to to help build awareness and advocate for early screening while Mancini undergoes chemotherapy treatment.

From the trainer’s room
• Left-hander Ty Blach left Thursday’s intrasquad game after two innings due to elbow soreness, Hyde said. Blach, who made five starts for the Orioles in 2019, was being re-evaluated on Friday, the manager added. He is one of nine pitchers the Orioles are stretching out as starters this summer.

• On the mend is shortstop José Iglesias, who doubled twice in his intrasquad debut Thursday after missing the first two games with back soreness.

“It’s much better today,” Iglesias said Friday. “I feel better than yesterday.”